North Korea Warns US Of Stalling Denuclearization Efforts Over Latest Sanctions

The North Korean Foreign Ministry has condemned the latest US sanctions

North Korea Warns US Of Stalling Denuclearization Efforts Over Latest Sanctions

North Korea on Sunday condemned the latest US sanctions, warning that continued diplomatic pressure might even put a complete end to the ongoing denuclearization efforts.

The North Korean Foreign Ministry released a statement on Sunday that said if the US administration believes imposing more and more sanctions will force Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons then it would be its “greatest miscalculation” and might even “block the path to denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula forever — a result desired by no one.”

The statement even warned the US government to stop trying to sanction the country over its human rights record as it may lead to “exchanges of fire,” reported BBC.

The statement follows the US government’s announcement that it had introduced sanctions on three North Korean officials, including Choe Ryong-hae, a top aide to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, for alleged human rights abuses.

Notably, denuclearizing North Korea has made little progress since U.S. President Donald Trump met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore in June in a historic summit. At that time, Kim agreed to work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. But, negotiations over denuclearization terms have since been a standstill.

The two sides are yet to reschedule a meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and senior North Korean official Kim Yong Chol, which were canceled abruptly in November. However, personal ties between Trump and Kim appear relatively unaffected.

Earlier this month, Trump said that he hoped to hold a second meeting with Kim at the beginning of next year. He revealed that his government is even considering inviting the North Korean leader to the US in the future.

National security adviser John Bolton also said that the second meeting between President Trump and Kim Jong Un would likely happen in either January or February next year with three sites currently under consideration for their next summit.